1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector for flexible substrate used for attaching a flexible substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
The connector for flexible substrate is conventionally used to mount the flexible substrate to a main substrate. Normally, the connector is made up of a body for holding a plurality of contacts arranged in parallel, each contacting a plurality of terminals formed on the end of the flexible substrate; and an actuator rotatably combined with the body. The plurality of contacts held by the body has one part exposed to the outside of the body as a soldering part, and is mechanically and electrically connected to the main substrate by way of the soldering part.
The actuator downwardly presses the end of the flexible substrate inserted from the front surface side by being turned from an opened position to a closed position and fixes the same. Thus, the corresponding contact elastically contacts the plurality of terminals formed on the back surface of the end to electrically and mechanically connect the flexible substrate to the connector. One type of actuator includes a plurality of cams corresponding to a plurality of contacts in order to ensure that the end of the flexible substrate is pressed (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3295808 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3513751).
In the conventional connector for flexible substrate, there is a problem that the actuator in turning operation easily falls off. That is, in the conventional connector, although the actuator is pivotally supported at the ends on both sides of the body, or is pivotally supported using one part of contacts held by the body, the actuator easily falls off since it is subjected to a large reactive force from the flexible substrate during the turning operation.
A problem arises that when external force, in particular, the upward external force is applied to the flexible substrate after being attached and connected, the contacting point pressure tends to lower. That is, since the terminal at the flexible substrate is formed at the back surface of the end, the terminal easily separates away from the contacting point part on the lower side when the flexible substrate rises. This problem is especially significant when pivotally supporting the actuator using one part of contacts. This is because the relevant contact is easily deformed upward when the upward external force is applied to the flexible substrate.
Another further problem is that foreign materials tend to attach to each soldering part of a plurality of contacts projecting outward of the body after being mounted to the main substrate, which may cause short circuit. The contact may be attached to the body from the front surface side or may be attached from the rear surface side. When attached from the front surface side, the soldering part is exposed on the front surface side of the body, and when attached from the rear surface side, the soldering part is exposed on the rear surface side. In the former case, foreign materials are less likely to attach since the soldering part is covered by the flexible substrate attached from the front surface side. However, in the latter case, the soldering part is exposed on the rear surface side even after the flexible substrate is mounted, and thus short circuit may occur due to attachment of foreign particles.